Old Fauquier County Jail
Also known as: Fauquier County Jail
Why it's listed
Beside the courthouse in Warrenton, two parallel buildings joined by a high stone wall make up the old county jail. The north building, of brick, was completed in 1808 as the jail and turned into the jailer's residence in 1822. A kitchen addition went on its east end in 1824. The south building, built of coursed fieldstone in 1822, held the prisoners. Its cell rooms were once lined with double thickness plank, and a walled jailyard lies behind it. Iron grills still secure the windows, and sockets for window bars remain in the brick building's second-floor jambs. The complex served the county for nearly 150 years. After a new jail opened in 1964, demolition was threatened, and local citizens formed the Fauquier Historical Society to save it as a museum of county history. The county gave the society responsibility for the buildings in 1975. The site is considered a notably complete example of early nineteenth-century jail construction in Virginia.
Significance in brief: The nomination holds that it is one of the state's most complete and interesting examples of early penal architecture. Enough early fabric survives, including plank-lined cells, barred windows and iron grills, to show how early nineteenth-century jails were built and equipped. It also records the local effort to save the building from demolition after a new jail opened in 1964.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 78003015, listed January 20, 1978. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Fauquier County Courthouse Sq., Warrenton |
|---|---|
| County | Fauquier County |
| Listed | January 20, 1978 |
| Reference number | 78003015 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Plans and specifications by William Pattie, Sr. and Benj. V. Larkin; John Kemper contracted for the 1822 work and the 1824 addition |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival mantel noted in the interior; no overall style stated |
| Areas of significance | Politics/Government, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as in generally good condition; operated as a museum by the Fauquier Historical Society, which was granted responsibility for it in 1975. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | Warrenton Historic District (Additional Documentation) |
| Coordinates | 38.71372, -77.79593 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For a publicly owned building or structure, listing mainly matters when federal funds, permits or licences are involved: projects then go through Section 106 review so effects on the property are considered. Listing also strengthens applications for preservation grants and, for leased income-producing uses, can enable the federal rehabilitation tax credit.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 78003015.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q14713014
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.